


Like a Thief in the Night

by megsblackfire



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Abandonment, Bounty Hunting, Canon Divergence, Homeless man Morrison, M/M, Minor potential gross-out for eating garbage food, Noodle Dragons, Parental Abuse, Stylized Thieving, dumpster diving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-24 16:00:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21680578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megsblackfire/pseuds/megsblackfire
Summary: When Jesse got the wanted poster across his desk, he never would have suspected the series of events that would follow.Jack Morrison survived Zurich's explosion, clinging to the shadows of society. He's a nobody now, scrambling to survive not only for himself, but the two animal companions that have made life worth it. That is about to change with the arrival of a black clad ghoul.
Relationships: Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada, Reaper | Gabriel Reyes/Soldier: 76 | Jack Morrison
Comments: 32
Kudos: 175





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Canon divergence? Canon divergence! Let's have some fun.

Jesse McCree liked to think of himself as a man of simple tastes. He liked food; any would do, really, he wasn’t picky; he liked a strong drink; whiskey, if you’d please; and he liked a five minute head start, just to be fair. He liked to be able to pay for his food and drink too, so he knew when that incredibly high bounty hit his desk; less a desk and more a stack of boxes, but semantics; that he had to go hunt the man down.

The problem was that the sketch provided in the manifest was next to worthless. The most he could see were a pair of brown eyes staring over a kerchief tied around the man’s face. There was one long lock of hair hanging down from the tight cap they were wearing, framing the right side of their face. They made for a pretty sight, but for all he knew, that could be an omnic under the kerchief. He just didn’t know.

Jesse squinted at the picture, pulling his cigarillo out of his mouth to tap the ashes off onto the ground. Those were some really long eyelashes on the guy; possibly a woman then? He circled the lashes with a pencil and jotted the note down; never hurt to keep track of who he might have been hunting for. Wouldn’t be the first time someone claimed the bounty was for a man and it turned out to be a woman. Some people were still very much set in the mentality that women couldn’t be thieves and crooks; Jesse liked to laugh at them.

The last known location of the target was out in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Close to home; nice. He wanted to swing by his house and check on the place anyways. The target seemed to be making their way slowly towards the East Coast based on the route that had brought them to Santa Fe. They were going very slowly and hitting every city on the way. He folded the paper up carefully and slipped it into the pocket of his shirt, smirking to himself at the prospect of a five hundred thousand dollar bounty sitting in his wallet. That would tide him over for a little while.

Might be able to pay off some of his own bounty and knock it down a little. It really was a ludicrous price for one man constantly blamed for crimes he didn’t commit. Prejudice against ex-Blackwatch boys, that’s what this was. Just because he did some morally questionable things in order to keep the world safe didn’t mean he was a bad guy. Damn bureaucracy; Jack would have taken care of that if he was still around.

God dammit, now he wanted to cry. Nice going, McCree, way to ruin your good mood. Time to get your ass moving to keep from thinking too much about the dead Strike Commander and the dead Commander of Blackwatch.

Aw fuck; yup, those were tears. God fucking dammit!

* * *

Jesse frowned at the shadowy figure that slipped into the art gallery. It had taken him a week to track the bastard down. He almost got arrested at one point because someone recognized him. One quick getaway later and he practically tripped over the leavings of his target. It took a bit of hunting to find the rest of the breadcrumbs, but Jesse McCree was nothing if not persistent.

He stubbed his cigarillo out beneath his heel and headed for the gallery. Best to get everything done and over with before any alarms were tripped. The thief was good, but even experts fucked up on occasion. He hoped that he could get to his quarry before that happened.

He slipped through the opening the thief had left with some difficulty. He was almost twice the size of the man or woman he was hunting and it took more wiggling than he would have liked to admit to get his ass through the open window. He hadn’t thought he was that out of shape until just then and it made him very self-conscious. Once his feet were firmly on the ground, he started searching for his target. He was grateful that he had decided to forgo the spurs on his boots; the echo of his shoes on the polished floor was eerie enough as it was without the additional clicking of the metal spurs.

He threaded his way through the exhibits, heading for the second floor where he could hear the soft scrape of a glass-cutter. His footfalls were muffled slightly by a thick carpet going up the stairs, but he doubted his entrance went unnoticed. Either the thief wasn’t worried about anyone else muscling in on their heist, or they didn’t care.

He spotted the hunched figure in front of a display case with an exhibit of hand-crafted jewelry made to look like insects. The figure’s head turned to the side before they looked over their shoulder directly at Jesse. He froze, one foot in the air as he stared at the most beautiful brown eyes he’d ever seen in his life.

“What do you think, cowboy? Gold or silver?” the man called in a rather bored voice.

There was a trace of an accent in the man’s voice, but it was very faint. He likely hadn’t spoken his mother tongue since he’d showed up on American soil, however long ago that was. There was something familiar about the voice that tickled at Jesse’s ears, but he couldn’t place it.

“Partial to stainless steel myself,” Jesse smirked as he patted his trusty _Peacekeeper_.

“Hmm, you would be,” the thief sighed before he reached into the display case and plucked one of the insects out. “Gold it is then.”

“Now, why don’t you put that back, darlin’?” Jesse asked as he stepped forward. “Would hate to have to bring such pretty things with me when I bring you in.”

“Bring me in?” the man asked with a soft laugh. “Why, cowboy, you can’t even show your face in public without someone trying to claim your outrageous bounty.”

Jesse frowned. “Saw that, huh?” he asked.

“It was the highlight of the day,” the man chuckled as he turned around to lounge on the display case. “All that was missing was the Benny Hill music.”

Jesse narrowed his eyes. “Ha. Ha.”

It had _not_ been that funny. He’d almost gotten shot, someone got knocked into next week for trying to grab him, and he’d dropped his lunch. He had been miserable and the only thing to make it all better was the trail he’d found. Now it looked like the thief had taken pity on his ass and let himself be tracked. Wonderful. That was going to look lovely on the resume.

Jesse McCree. Bounty Hunter. Winner of bounty’s pity. Joy.

“I certainly thought it was funny,” the man’s eyes crinkled in a smirk. “Well, this has been a lovely chat, cowboy, but if you aren’t going to be useful, I’m leaving.”

“Don’t even move,” Jesse ordered as he drew his gun. “I ain’t losing this bounty. So put your paws where I can see them.”

“Ooh, forceful,” the man clucked his tongue and lifted his hands in the air. “Whatever shall I do? Oh. Right. Click.”

Jesse hadn’t noticed the device in the man’s hand until he already pressed the big red button on the top. The display case next to Jesse exploded, knocking him to the ground as alarms started ringing throughout the gallery. Jesse rolled to his feet in time to see the thief vault over the railing and drop to the first floor.

He cursed and scrambled after him, feet clomping loudly on the floor as he tried to catch up with the figure. They bounded up a wall to a high window and expertly shimmied out of it. They paused with one boot still inside the building and waved at him as he came to a stop below them. They blew him a kiss around their dark blue kerchief before twisting and dropping out of sight.

Jesse cursed again, heading back to the window he had wiggled in from. Getting back out was a lot harder than getting in and he had to bolt for an alley to avoid being seen by the cops. He glared over his shoulder as he threaded his way through the streets, heading back towards the safehouse he had broken into.

He growled as he closed the door tightly behind him, snapping the deadbolt in place. He ran his hand through his hair, tossing his hat onto the table by the door. He headed for his bathroom, grumbling as he splashed water in his face. What a night; definitely not a hunt to put on the ol’ resume. Not that bounty hunters really had resumes, but it was the thought that counted. He stepped back into the main room of the safehouse after he had scrubbed his face down and froze.

Sitting innocently on the table by his hat was a hand-crafted gold-and-ruby dragonfly. There was a note sitting by his hat, taunting him as he looked his safehouse over from top to bottom. He saw no signs of forced entry, no sign that there was anyone else in his safehouse, but there clearly had been someone uninvited because that dragonfly had not been there when he left the room.

He stormed over to the dragonfly and picked the note up, glaring at the curly letters.

_‘A little something to tide you over, cowboy. The local fence would be happy to get his hands on this. Try not to pine after me too much; we’ll see each other again real soon.’_

The note was signed with a strange squiggly “S” that looked like it might have had nubby horns and tiny little legs.

McCree almost crumpled the note in his hand. He wanted to lob the little dragonfly against the wall as hard as he could. He hated being sassed and he hated being taunted. Whoever this “S” person was happened to be doing a damn good job of doing both.

* * *

Breaking into his hunter’s apartment had not been easy, but it had been fun. Waiting for him to give him the opening he needed to leave the present had been a little bit of a pain, but Jesse McCree was nothing if not predictable. Hanzo smirked as he pulled his catsuit off and gave it a small kick into the corner of the room. He fished his jeans out from under his bed, smirking at the angry blue noodle dragon that had been using it as a nest.

“Come, my darlings,” he clucked his tongue, “come see what Hanzo has brought for you.”

Minami happily curled his way up Hanzo’s pantleg as he strode over to the desk. Kita poked her nose out from the sink, croaking curiously before she wiggled her way through the air to perch on his shoulder.

“Shiny,” Hanzo purred as he dumped the little gold and silver insects onto the table. “Take one each.”

Kita immediately snatched up the ladybug covered in sapphires and started prying the gems off. Minami picked his way slowly through the pile, hissing and grumbly before he grabbed the peridot praying mantis and stuffed its head in his mouth.

Hanzo swept the rest back into his satchel and smirked as his dragons happily began to chew and devour the gemstones and metal meal. He knew of a few fences in town that would happily take his hot items off of him while providing more than enough cash to keep himself fed on his way to the next city. Maybe he’d even be able to buy something to keep his poor darlings entertained while he was out hunting for their next paycheque. They would love a laser pointer, more because Kita loved tormenting her mate than because they were driven by an instinct to hunt insects.

He thought of his hunter and smirked to himself. Now that had been a lovely surprise to find out that the man that had fled the police like something out of a cartoon had been the one dogging his steps for the past week. Jesse McCree had always been nice to look at; he had good strong features that could turn anyone’s insides into a puddle of goo. Hanzo was no exception and he licked his lips hungrily at the thought of having the cowboy following him. Sure, the man was only interested in him because of the bounty on his head, but that could be easily dealt with a wink and a reminder of Shanghai.

“Is this what love is, Kita?” Hanzo chuckled as he ran his hand over his guardian’s back. “Foolish thoughts of another that you haven’t seen in ages?”

Kita gave him a flat look and rolled her eyes before sticking another sapphire in her mouth.

“Yes, I am being silly,” Hanzo agreed with a soft chuckle. “Minami, no,” he added as he reached out to scoop the pilfering little dragon from his satchel. “I said one.”

Minami pouted at him, but didn’t try to get back at the satchel as Hanzo stood up. He fixed himself a quick meal on the stove, humming a little as he stirred the noodles. Kita came to rest on his shoulder, purring in his ear and stealing a few noodles from him as he brought them up to see if they were to his liking. Minami curled up on his pillow, huffing contently as his belly bulged under him.

He would do his running around tomorrow, collect his money, and be out of the apartment before his nosy neighbours had a chance to complain about his “ferrets” and the noise they made during the day.

* * *

“How the mighty fall,” Jack grumbled as he hauled himself over the lip of the dumpster.

Jack Morrison, ex-Strike Commander of Overwatch, Hero of the Omnic Crisis, beacon of hope to so many people for decades, reduced to sifting through a restaurant’s garbage to find food. At least it was something to eat that was half-way healthy. Better than munching on chips and candy bars that he pilfered from vending machines. He’d already done that just getting to L.A and he felt sick. More so than ripping a bag open and getting long-cold gravy all over his pants and boots.

He devoured the food he found inside. It was higher end stuff; all the organic bullshit that the city-folk raved about while the rural farmer cried at financially infeasible it all was. All the tastes were rich and heavy and made him want to vomit. But, maybe that was because he hadn’t had anything to eat all day.

It was best to do this at night long after the restaurant had closed. Then there wasn’t the chance that someone would stumble across him while he was stuffing his face full of garbage.

Pork covered in some sort of thick sauce vanished down his gullet before he threw a chunk to the cat sitting on the edge of the dumpster. His companion pounced on the offering, purring happily as he devoured it. He knew to wait his turn while Jack ate. He could kill pigeons and eat all day; Jack had to wait for night to fall.

“Mrow?” the cat asked as Jack ripped open another bag.

“Nothing you can eat, kitten,” Jack replied as he stuffed soggy vegetables into his mouth, shuddering at the texture. “Ugh, nothing I want to eat either. You’d think these people would be all about composting and growing their own veggies.”

“Mrow,” the cat agreed, flicking his black tail.

“Here we go,” Jack grinned as he tore open the next bag and reached up to feed the cat a whole baked salmon. “Someone didn’t like their order. You get a real meal, my darling.”

The cat dragged his prize over to the other lid of the dumpster and started eating, purring loudly as Jack finished rooting around for his meal. He cleaned his fingers off on his shirt, hauling himself out of the dumpster. He threw chunks of meat to the ground, smirking as other alley cats came hurrying out to eat. A skinny dog came sidling up, eyeing him until Jack held out the hambone he had gotten out of the first bag.

“Sorry, nothing that you can eat,” he apologized. “Lot of garlic in this haul.”

The dog huffed but accepted the bone, wagging his tail happily. The cat jumped onto the dog’s back and settled down, licking his lips clean as Jack started walking. The dog trotted at his heels, wagging his tail as he carried his treat with him. He knew where they were going now that Jack had eaten his fill.

The 24-hour clinic had strict leash rules, so Jack had to leave his companions outside while he went in to get his dog some food. The clerks greeted him happily; he was a regular face around here looking for food for his companions. They loved his companions, but they wouldn’t bend the rules. Bites and rabies were a serious risk and he had no way to prove that both animals were inoculated.

“Have you settled on a name for your cat yet?” one of the clerks asked as she measured out the proper amount of kibble for a dog Daredevil’s size.

“Mars,” Jack replied.

“Mars?” she blinked before she grinned. “That’s so cute!”

Jack smiled in agreement. He thought that naming him after the Roman God of War was appropriate for the tomcat with chewed up ears and a surly disposition to everyone that wasn’t Jack. Not that Jack ever called him by “Mars”; he was always “darling” or “my kitten” or “baby”. Same with Daredevil.

He thanked the clerk and brought the bowl out to Daredevil. His companion whined, staring up at him with huge brown eyes.

“Sit,” Jack ordered and Daredevil obeyed.

Jack set the dish on the ground and took a step back. Daredevil waited for him to nod before he pounced on the food and eagerly devoured it. Mars barely moved on his back, yellow eyes closed as he rested.

“Nice to have a full tummy, huh?” Jack smiled as Daredevil licked the bowl clean. “There’s a good boy. Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

He brought the dish inside, thanking the clerks again. He left a bit of change in the tip jar, stuff he’d picked up out of gutters and wasn’t any good to him, and left. Daredevil trotted at his heels as he made his way back to his shelter.

The ramshackle little cardboard box shelter that Jack had thrown together was tucked into the corner of a rarely travelled alleyway. Most of the other homeless people whispered about rats the size of a small child, but Jack had gone there anyways. If it kept what few precious belongings he had safe, he didn’t care. Besides, maybe a rat that big would feed him for a little while.

He crawled into the box and curled up. Daredevil lay down at the entrance, his head on his paws as he kept watch. Mars curled up against Jack’s chest, purring happily as he stroked his fingers through the soft black fur. Jack reached out and made sure that his dog tags, pulse rifle, and photo album were still in their protective cubby before he closed his eyes and let himself drift off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo is a sassy little thing, but still human.
> 
> Jack getting some money to feed his babies. People are jerks. Zenyatta is not.

Jesse didn’t want to admit that he knew where to find a fence that would take the dragonfly off his hands. He had spent enough time in Santa Fe in his youth to know where the underbelly was and who tiptoed the line of legal and illegal. The man he was looking for was much older than he remembered, but the lecherous smile was still in place as he looked Jesse up and down.

“And what can I do for such a strapping young man?” the fence asked.

“Hardly young anymore,” Jesse growled around his cigarillo before he placed the dragonfly on the table between them. “How much?”

The man’s eyes widened as he reached out and carefully picked up the piece of artwork. “My, my, so this is where that last piece of the exhibit went,” the man cooed. “I was wondering why Mr. Ryuu was not giving me everything. Did you beat him to the exhibit last night?”

“I’m sorry, who?” Jesse leaned forward, tapping the ashes of his cigarillo onto the ground.

“Oh, well, that’s not his real name; bastard won’t tell me it for all the goods he has slipped my way,” the old man huffed. “Charming young man, if a tad bit too...dramatic.”

“You know there’s a bounty on his head,” Jesse growled. “Coulda held him for me.”

“Now, why would I do that to someone that brings me such lovely business?” the man laughed. He set the dragonfly on the table and carefully peeled off a few rolls of money from his pocket. “Three thousand for your share, only because it’s not a complete set. Do give Mr. Ryuu my regards when you catch up with him.”

“You that confident in my abilities?” Jesse smirked.

“While I’m sure you’re a good bounty hunter, it is more that Mr. Ryuu has taken an interest in you,” the man smirked. “He’ll toy with you like a kitten with a string until he grows bored. Then he’ll leave and you’ll never be able to find him again. He’s done that with several hunters at this point. No one’s ever gotten close enough to grab him. He’s smart, that Mr. Ryuu.”

Jesse frowned and pocketed the money, tipping his hat. “Mighty kind of ya to give me a warnin’,” he growled. “Don’t get caught now.”

“I will know who to send the hounds after if I am,” the man warned. “Have a good day now.”

Jesse walked back out into the summer afternoon and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He chewed on the end of his cigarillo, glaring up at the sky before he started heading back to his safehouse. He had two new clues to work with; if he could figure out Mr. Ryuu’s real name and an idea of where he was going to hit next, he could catch the slippery little fish before he vanished again.

He knew something was off the instant he opened the door to the safehouse. He pulled _Peacekeeper_ from its holster and brought it up beside his head. He scanned the small room carefully before he spotted the ticket lying on the bed. He moved forward slowly, keeping his gait light and even. He nudged the ticket with his gun, checking for anything that might cause bodily harm, before he picked it up.

It was a ticket to a burlesque show in Las Vegas dated for the end of the week. A note with the same curly letters as before was folded neatly under the ticket, addressed to “The Handsome Hunter”. Jesse grit his teeth as he picked the note up and opened it.

 _‘I’ll see you in Vegas, handsome. Don’t keep me waiting.’_ Signed with the same squiggly S.

Jesse ground his molars together before he stuffed the ticket into his wallet beside the money he’d acquired. He walked over to his laptop and flipped it open. He was going to find out anything he could on this Mr. Ryuu and he was going to surprise him in Las Vegas. He was not getting away.

* * *

Jesse did his best not to growl at the figure lounging on the wall above him. “Ain’t you a cocky shit?” he demanded as he lifted _Peacekeeper_ up.

“I had to do something while I waited for your lazy ass to catch up,” Mr. Ryuu sighed as he let his leg hang off of the wall. “You’re so slow, cowboy. How do you intend to catch me if you can’t even keep up?”

“Could put a bullet through your knee,” Jesse growled. “Love to see you try to run without a kneecap.”

“So violent,” the thief tutted as he leaned forward. “Is this how you catch all of your bounties, cowboy? Threaten bodily harm?”

“No one gets a second run-in,” Jesse snapped.

“Ooh, so I’m breaking records, am I?” Mr. Ryuu laughed.

“Don’t sass me,” Jesse snarled.

“But it’s so much fun,” Mr. Ryuu laughed before he twisted and dropped down from the ledge. “Have I been bouncing around in your head for the past week wearing nothing but a smile, cowboy?”

Jesse kept the gun trained on the thief while carefully thumbing one of his flashbangs. The dark brown eyes flicked towards his metallic hand and crinkled in a smirk. Quick as a flash, Mr. Ryuu was pressing against Jesse’s chest and stealing one of the flashbangs off of his belt. He felt the ghost of the man’s breath against his throat before he heard the pin be pulled from the flashbang.

“You-!” Jesse started to yell before the whole world went white.

Static filled his ears and he stumbled back, covering his eyes with a howl of pain. He blinked tears out of his eyes, shaking his head repeatedly to clear the white noise. He glared around him, searching for the thief that had managed to get the drop on him _again_. He spotted a note stuck to the wall and ripped it off.

_‘Better luck next time, cowboy.’_

Jesse crumpled the note and furiously punched the wall with his metal hand. He reached up to pull his hat down over his eyes and realized with a sickening jolt that his hat was missing. The fucker had stolen his hat!

* * *

Okay, so it was incredibly petty to steal Jesse McCree’s hat. It didn’t fit on Hanzo’s head to begin with, but he’d be damned if he didn’t want to give the cowboy incentive to chase after him. It was going to get him blown full of holes when the cowboy caught up with him, but can you really blame a man for wanting a little bit of attention from the man that he’d had a crush on for years?

Reyes would have his head if he ever heard such thoughts. He had always made it clear not to date within your own team as it made it incredibly awkward for everyone involved. Outside the team? Have at ‘er; everyone knew the two commanders were bedmates regardless of how much they fought in the boardroom. There were even rumors that the UN had to constantly replace the chairs in said boardroom because of what the two commanders did when no one was looking.

He pouted a little as he slumped in his hotel room. Kita and Minami were curling up in the pilfered hat, peeking out at him curiously as he pushed his hair out of his face.

“You know what’s stupid?” he asked. Kita croaked at him, cocking her head to the side. “People. People are stupid.”

He got to his feet and started pacing, anger boiling through him. “People are stupid,” he repeated. “They tell each other that they love them while secretly hoping that they fail. They whisper sweet nothings when really they just want to cut their throat. They say they’ll be friends forever, but they forget about them as soon as they stop seeing their face.” He stopped and felt tears burning his eyes. “They call you ‘big brother’ but don’t even care about how you feel at the end of the day.”

Kita curled slowly around his neck as he burst into tears. He hugged her close, sniffling as he sank onto the bed. Minami nosed his way under Hanzo’s jaw, licking his tears away with a warm tongue. He felt like a lost little kid again, clinging to his dragons as he watched his father heap praises on the little brother that did nothing to deserve the words while Hanzo’s accomplishments were criticized and belittled. Life wasn’t fair, but he hadn’t deserved to be forgotten and cast aside just because Genji was the cuter one.

Kita nuzzled his jaw, dragging her claws slowly through his hair to soothe him. He snuggled into their warmth, sniffling as his guardians blocked him from the world. He was a broken soul trying to make sense of himself in a world designed to tear him apart.

Gabriel Reyes had once asked him why he took to being a thief. He had said “survival” at the time, because what else was he supposed to say? Reyes never believed him and Hanzo didn’t blame him. He didn’t believe himself most days either.

* * *

Jack leaned the back of his head against the wall of the storefront and let out a long sigh. Mars was curled up on his lap, purring away as Jack scratched slowly behind his ears. Daredevil was people watching, his big brown eyes catching more than a few stares. There was a small jar at Jack’s knee with a sign that said “just enough to feed the boys” with two adorable drawings of Mars and Daredevil’s faces.

Jack wasn’t worried about himself; he wanted his loyal companions to be fed and happy. He heard coins clatter into the jar and murmured a soft thank you. Someone nudged his foot and he opened an eye, squinting a little against the noonday sun. The boy smiled shyly before he pointed at Daredevil.

“Can I pet him?” he asked.

“Mind his ears,” Jack smiled at the boy. “They’re very sensitive.”

The boy nodded and gently scratched under Daredevil’s jaw. Daredevil whined and thumped his tail against the ground, wanting nothing more than to cover his new friend in sloppy kisses. But he was on duty. He had to keep Jack safe while he waited for help to look after his companions.

“Good boy,” the boy laughed. “Thank you!”

Jack waved as the boy hurried off and leaned his head back against the building. Not everyone was as kind as the boy. He heard more than a few insults thrown his way, but they rolled off of him. He didn’t care about them, not when his darlings were starving.

“Lazy bum,” a woman hissed at him. “Must be nice to ask others for their hard-earned money when you do nothing all day.”

“Charity is given from the heart,” Jack replied without opening his eyes. “Move along if I’m so disgusting to you. You’re blocking my sun.”

“Men like you should be run out of town,” someone else snarled. “Waste of skin.”

“Waste of air,” he replied. “Keep moving; you’re making my dog anxious.”

“Gotta love how people think it’s okay to just lie around all day while the rest of us work,” someone sneered.

“Gotta love how you can give society all of your life and they don’t have to give you a damn thing back,” Jack cracked an eye at the man. “You’re looking at a war veteran; funny how the government is happy to let me rot, isn’t it?”

The man hurried away after that and Jack smirked at his retreating back. They did so love to forget that most of their homeless population were veterans. He shifted to the side, letting an omnic sit down beside him.

“Long day?” he asked.

“Very,” the omnic chuckled. “You have a calm aura about you; it is refreshing.”

“Hmm,” Jack cracked an eye open and looked at the omnic. “You’re a member of the Shambali?” he asked.

“I am,” the omnic tilted his head in a smile. “I am Zenyatta. You?”

“Jack,” he replied as he held out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you. I hold the Shambali in high esteem.”

The omnic shook his hand and chuckled. “You honour me, my friend. Your companions are very calm as well. May I?”

Jack smirked as Zenyatta carefully picked up Mars and settled him in his lap. Mars shifted for a moment before he lifted a hind leg and started cleaning himself. Zenyatta laughed and scratched behind Mars’ ears, earning a deep purr from the stubborn old tom.

“What a wonderful creature,” Zenyatta praised. Daredevil knocked his elbow and whined, giving his best puppy eyes. “Ah, I have not forgotten you, my friend. Here, good boy.”

Zenyatta scratched under Daredevil’s beige ears and Daredevil sank to the ground in contentment. Jack smiled and settled back against the building, relaxing as the orbs circling Zenyatta’s neck started humming softly.


	3. Chapter 3

Jesse didn’t give Mr. Ryuu a chance to slip away this time. He got a running start and tackled the smaller man to the ground. He got one fist into the man’s sternum and felt his knuckles crack from the impact, but it left the other man breathless. He grabbed the man by the back of the head, yanking him around so that Jesse could get the cuffs on him. Mr. Ryuu grunted and struggled, a smirk slowly curling into his eyes.

“Wow, cowboy; if you told me you wanted to play rough, I would have brought something a little bit more comfortable to wear,” he purred.

“Shut up,” Jesse snarled as he wrenched the smaller man to his feet. “You had me running all over the damn city to find you.”

“Well, if you hadn’t crawled into a hole in the wall, I would have met you in your room,” the man laughed.

Jesse growled and yanked his hat off the man’s head. “Don’t act like this is all going according to plan,” he snapped.

“How do you know it’s not?” Mr. Ryuu asked sweetly. “You’re a smart man, Jesse McCree; why would I let myself be caught?”

“You didn’t; I outsmarted you,” Jesse snarled as he started dragging the other man behind him. “Move your ass.”

Mr. Ryuu grunted as he was dragged along in Jesse’s wake. He struggled to keep up, his boots dragging in the gravel as Jesse headed across the empty lot to where his car was waiting. The man offered almost no resistance as he was bodily thrown into the back seat.

“Don’t even think of slipping the cuffs,” he growled.

“What makes you think I know how?” Mr. Ryuu asked as he shifted himself on the backseat.

Was he intentionally spreading his legs that far apart? No, no Jesse was just imagining things. There’s no way the man got any sort of sexual satisfaction out of being manhandled. He really was looking into this too much. Mr. Ryuu’s hips shifted on the seat and those dark eyes crinkled into a wicked grin.

“Are you enjoying the view, Jesse?” the man purred.

Heat flared across Jesse’s cheeks as he realized he had been staring at the man’s groin the entire time. He slammed the car door shut and stalked around to the driver’s side, pulling his cellphone out. He dialed the number for the men looking for Mr. Ryuu and waited for them to pick up.

“Who is this?” a voice snapped.

“Someone lookin’ to collect a bounty,” Jesse replied as he dug dirt out from under his nail. “Your little thief has been caught and I’m mighty pleased to say he’s worth the bounty yer offerin’.”

Silence greeted him. Someone let out a low chuckle on the other end of the phone. There was a deep-seeded sense of relief that Jesse picked up from the other man, even without seeing their face. It would seem that Mr. Ryuu was making someone’s life a living hell with his thieving ways.

“Do you have speaker phone, my friend?”

“I do.”

“Let me speak with the thief.”

Jesse flicked the speakerphone on and held the device up. “Shoot.”

“So, little thief, you thought you could get away with stealing from my organization?” the voice demanded in what Jesse supposed was supposed to be menacing. He thought the man sounded like he had a frog in his throat.

“It would not be the first time,” Mr. Ryuu yawned. “Do you need a Halls, sir? You’re sounding a little congested.”

“Do not mock me, thief,” the man snarled. “You will learn your lesson soon enough.”

“Mmm, don’t count on that,” Mr. Ryuu chuckled. “I’m nothing if not stubborn.”

“I will send you the coordinates of the drop-off site,” the man growled. “I expect you there in three days.”

They hung up and Jesse snorted as he started the car. What pleasant people he had to deal with; getting all pissy because Mr. Ryuu had a sharp tongue. Yes, he was a pot calling the kettle black, but he had been toyed with, damn it! He was allowed to be pissy.

The coordinates came through the phone and when Jesse punched them in, they took him into the middle of Nevada. He lifted an eyebrow at his GPS before putting the car into drive and leaving the empty lot behind him.

After an hour, Mr. Ryuu climbed into the front seat and clicked a seatbelt on. He stretched his arms over his head and propped his feet up on the dashboard. Somehow, Jesse didn’t find it in himself to be upset. He shook his head with a snort of laughter.

“Didn’t I tell you not to slip the cuffs?” he asked.

“Should have used better cuffs,” Mr. Ryuu shrugged. “Didn’t know a bounty hunter had such terrible supplies available to him.”

“Hush,” Jesse warned. “I could just shoot you and dump your corpse off to these people.”

“In this heat?” Mr. Ryuu laughed and waved a hand. “You’ll be pulled over before you get an hour down the road because of the smell.”

Jesse frowned and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “You raise a good point, Mr. Ryuu.”

“Ah, so that fence told you my pseudonym,” Mr. Ryuu chuckled. “A pity; he paid such good money for my items.”

“You don’t have the means to take that man out,” Jesse chuckled.

“And how would you know that, Mr. McCree?” Mr. Ryuu asked with a curious lift of an eyebrow.

“I worked with Blackwatch,” Jesse smirked. “I know how good this guy has himself ingrained into the Santa Fe underbelly. You couldn’t spit on the guy without him already having a knife in your gut.”

Mr. Ryuu leaned over and whispered softly in his ear. “I worked with Blackwatch too, Jesse. Reyes never could track me down when I didn’t want to be found. What makes you think I don’t have ways of removing one fence?”

A cold knife of fear slipped into his gut and he did his best to remain impassive. “Bullshit,” he growled. “Ain’t no one that could stay off of Reyes’ radar when he wanted them.”

“And yet I managed,” Mr. Ryuu smirked. “Oh, don’t feel too bad, Jesse. I’ve just been doing this a lot longer than you, that’s all.”

Mr. Ryuu leaned back against his seat and started humming softly to himself. Desperate for anything other than the man’s voice, Jesse flipped the radio on and found a country station as fast as he could. It drew a chuckle from Mr. Ryuu and he shot Jesse a smirk over the top of his kerchief.

“So predictable,” he said.

Something about the way the man said those two simple words made the hair on the back of Jesse’s neck stand on end. He should know this man. Something about him was triggering red flags. If he just pulled down that kerchief, he’d get his answer, but he doubted the man would let him.

“I ain’t predictable,” Jesse said as he stared out the windshield.

“Mmm,” Mr. Ryuu clucked his tongue and settled back in his seat.

* * *

Hanzo yawned as he stretched out on the second motel room bed. He flexed his toes, watching Jesse stomp around the room getting himself ready for bed. He was brushing his teeth and glaring at Hanzo as if he was the reason for the poor weather that had forced him to stop driving for the day. Because Hanzo could totally tell a thunderstorm to start throwing trees across the road.

“You’re still handsome when you pout,” he commented as he scratched at his chest.

“Shut up and stop saying things like that,” Jesse snapped around a mouthful of foam.

Hanzo leaned forward and looked Jesse dead in the eye. “Make me,” he purred.

He saw the flash of desire in Jesse’s eyes. Lust was always such an easy emotion to read. It spread like wildfire across Jesse’s face, spreading from his eyes that roamed over Hanzo’s body to his lips as he chewed on his toothbrush and down to his throat as the skin grew red.

If Jesse moved across the room, Hanzo wouldn’t stop him. He’d pull that man down into his body and wouldn’t let him up until they were too exhausted to move. He’d wanted Jesse for years, but had never dared make a move lest he piss off the big man in charge of paying him. Now, there was nothing holding them back. No Blackwatch or Overwatch or anything; Jesse just had to take that first step.

And Hanzo knew he wouldn’t because Jesse just didn’t work like that. He had his mind set on the money bringing Hanzo in would get him and he wasn’t going to let that waiver. His pride wouldn’t let him.

Jesse tore his gaze away and headed to the bathroom. Hanzo let out a long sigh and settled back on the bed, turning his gaze to the television. He frowned at the news that scrawled across the screen and shivered.

“The Reaper Claims Another Leader’s Life” the screen read. The titular Reaper was shown only in police drawings, the details of the mask varying from one drawing to the next. It was a terrifying visage to gaze upon, like looking at the skull of some long dead animal. Whoever was behind that mask, they knew how to make people afraid.

He never wanted to meet them.

* * *

“Easy, Devil,” Reaper soothed as he held his hand out for the dog to smell. “You remember me.”

Daredevil sniffed at his palm and his tail started wagging lightning fast. Reaper smiled behind his mask as Jack’s mutt happily bumped his head against Reaper’s hip.

“Good to see you too, mutt,” he teased. “Where’s the man looking after you?”

Daredevil cocked his head to the side before he turned and trotted down the alley. Reaper followed, collapsing into smoke and ash to keep out of sight. He wasn’t sure what he was going to find and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. Had Jack survived Zurich when Gabriel had not? Or had someone just taken over looking after Jack’s favourite dog since he passed away?

Passed away. How sweet of you, Reaper. Jack was murdered. By you. Because you let your anger get the better of you and forget to check your surroundings and you lost everything because of it. Your life, the lives of those that trusted you, and your sunshine that stuck by you no matter what; gone in an instant. Gone in a blast of blinding light, fire, and rubble.

Daredevil stopped beside a beaten up cardboard shelter and poked his head in. Reaper could just see a pair of socked feet poking out from the entrance, but nothing else. Someone groaned inside and Reaper’s stomach twisted as he solidified. The socked feet moved before a white head appeared at the entrance.

“What’s wrong?” the man grunted.

Reaper stiffened as the man got to his feet, squatting down to scratch behind Daredevil’s ears. It was Jack Morrison. Jack, his Jack, his sunshine, was alive. And looking twenty years older with white hair and wrinkles and a voice that sounded like he’d smoked a pack of cigarettes every day of his life. But it was him. He was here; he was _alive_.

Blue eyes flicked up towards him and Jack stiffened. “Who…?” he started to ask as he got to his feet. He saw the name “Reaper” cross Jack’s lips and he darted forward.

The bottom of his mask melted away and he kissed Jack’s rough lips. Jack grabbed him instantly, yanking him closer with a soft groan of pleasure. Jack always did love to be kissed; he didn’t care who was doing it so long as it felt good. It was something that Gabriel had been fine with because no matter what, Jack always came back to him with a grin on his face and excitedly telling him about how he should kiss that other person too.

“Who?” Jack whispered against his lips. “I know...who…?”

Reaper didn’t stop Jack from lifting the remainder of his mask. He heard the horrified gasp and watched those beautiful blue widen. Reaper looked away, hanging his head in shame; why was he expecting anything different? Of course he’d be horrified by what his face looked like. Who wouldn’t?

“Gabe?” Jack whispered. “Gabe?!”

Jack’s hand balled in the front of Reaper’s uniform, but he was already pulling away.

“I’m glad you’re still alive, Boy Scout,” Reaper murmured. “I’m sorry you had to see me like this. Goodbye.”

He fled, rushing through the shadows as fast as he could. But he couldn’t outrace the hurt scream behind him.

“Gabriel! WAIT!”


	4. Chapter 4

Jesse hauled Mr. Ryuu up into the car and buckled him in. He’d decided after the man tried to swipe his hat that he would keep his paycheque’s hands tied. Mr. Ryuu did not fight him, lounging in his seat like a king as Jesse sat down in the driver’s seat and started the car.

“Yer a pain in the ass,” Jesse snapped.

“Good; I would be boring otherwise,” Mr. Ryuu chuckled. “You wouldn’t want me to be boring, right, Jesse?”

“I would like you to shut up,” Jesse growled as he pulled out onto the highway and continued for Nevada. “Never thought I’d meet someone that makes me miss silence.”

“You’d have liked me when I was younger, than,” Mr. Ryuu mused. “So prim and proper, never a word spoken out of turn.”

“Maybe you should go back to being like that,” Jesse sneered as he glared at the rain-soaked highway. “Maybe then you’d stay out of trouble.”

“I doubt it,” Mr. Ryuu laughed hollowly. “Even when I was quiet, it wasn’t good enough.”

Jesse glanced at the man before looking back at the road. “No offence, but I ain’t qualified to deal with psychological shit.”

“I was not planning on divulging anything to you, Mr. McCree,” Mr. Ryuu shook his head. “You would not be able to handle the scars I carry in my heart and in my mind.”

Jesse snorted softly. “Preachin’ to the choir,” he said.

“I know,” Mr. Ryuu murmured. “I’m sorry.”

They drove in silence for a long time before Mr. Ryuu shifted in his seat. Jesse glanced over at him and lifted an eyebrow. Mr. Ryuu shrugged his shoulders.

“I could use something to eat,” he said.”

“Next town’s a few hours off,” he said. “Think you can last that long?”

“Of course,” Mr. Ryuu smiled. “I am used to going longer without food.”

“Okay, now I feel like an asshole,” Jesse groaned.

“You are one,” Mr. Ryuu chuckled. “But do not worry; it is not your fault.”

Jesse sighed and rubbed at his face. Didn’t stop him from feeling like an asshole no matter what his quarry said. He didn’t like hearing about people going hungry for any reason. By the sounds of it, the life of a thief wasn’t as lucrative as it would appear. Poor guy.

“Look,” Jesse sighed.

“Do not apologize for apprehending me,” Mr. Ryuu smirked. “It was a fun.”

“Fun? Being hunted is fun?” Jesse looked at him in surprise.

Mr. Ryuu shrugged. “Most fun I’ve had in years,” he said. “Besides, do you really think these men can hold me?”

“They’ll kill you as soon as I drop you off,” Jesse said. “That’s how they operate.”

“No,” Mr. Ryuu shook his head. “They will gloat and I will have my opportunity. Do not worry, Mr. McCree, I have no plans on dying to these idiots that couldn’t even be bothered to hide their sensitive information.”

“That doesn’t make me feel any more reassured,” Jesse shook his head.

“I will not be your concern when you drop me off,” Mr. Ryuu shot him a look. “Do not worry about things that are beyond your control.”

“Ryuu, look; you’re going to die,” Jesse snapped. “Just accept that.”

“Do I look like the sort of man that just accepts his death?” Mr. Ryuu laughed. “It won’t catch me, not this time. But, if you’re that worried about me, you could always let me go.”

“That’s not how this works,” Jesse snapped. “I catch you, I turn you in, and I walk away with my payment. I don’t develop anything for the target, let alone pity them. If you’re dumb enough to get yourself into this situation….”

Mr. Ryuu reached up and yanked his kerchief down, revealing the bottom half of his face. Jesse stared, his stomach dropping out of his body before he slammed on the brakes and wrenched the car into the first turn off he saw.

“HANZO SHIMADA, YOU DIRTY SON OF A BITCH!”

* * *

Jack couldn’t remember a time where he’d felt so scared, furious, and elated all at the same time. His feet were beating a furious rhythm into the asphalt, Mars sitting comfortably in his backpack and Daredevil keeping pace at his side. Gabriel was alive; somehow, Gabriel had survived the headquarters going supernova.

But he did not look good. Six years had not done much to heal Gabriel’s injuries. Most of his face was covered in a horrific burn with the thinnest layer of skin covering the ruined muscle beneath. His teeth were exposed and there was barely anything left of his nose. His eyes were bloodshot and looked like they were only a few seconds from leaking down his face. Jack had seen burn victims and the affects healing had on the body; Gabriel’s was on par with some of the worst he had ever seen.

He knew he’d never be able to catch up with Gabriel, but he was going to fucking try, damn it. Daredevil was on the trail, darting ahead every few minutes to make sure they were still on the right path. His entire career had been built around tracking people and Gabriel’s strange wraith form had never been able to shake him. As soon as he got his hands on Gabriel again, he was never letting him go.

He heard police sirens behind him and grit his teeth. He slowed down, whistling for Daredevil to stand behind him so that he didn’t get hit. The police car shot past him, but turned around to face him and be sitting on the correct side of the road. Jack rested a hand on Daredevil’s head to calm him as his trusted hound started growling.

The police officer climbed out of his car and headed over, smiling at Jack as he approached. Daredevil lowered his head, growling louder, but Jack shushed him.

“Morning, Officer,” he said. “How can I help you?”

“What’re you running from?” the officer asked.

“Not running from anything,” Jack replied. “Just moving on to the next city in the hopes of better chances. Devil, hush.”

Daredevil took a step forward, baring his teeth at the officer. Jack grabbed Daredevil’s collar and hauled him back, kneeling down to look him in the eye. He let out a low growl and forced Daredevil to back down, guiding his friend down onto his stomach and instructing him to remain still. When he stood up, the officer was smiling.

“Loyal boy,” he commented. “Look, we got some calls in about a man running from the downtown with a large backpack on.”

“The callers thought I stole something,” Jack rolled his eyes before shrugging his pack off. “Here. Mind the cat.”

The officer took his bag and Mars huffed as he was disturbed. Mars jumped out of the pack and stalked over to stand between Jack’s feet, glaring up at the officer as he rifled through Jack’s meager belongings. The officer nodded and handed the pack back over to him.

“Looks good,” he said. “Have a good day, sir. I would suggest a light jog rather than a full-out run.”

“I’ll take that into consideration, Officer,” Jack nodded as he scooped Mars up into his arms and let him get settled back inside the backpack.

Jack waited for the officer to drive away before he started walking again. His heartrate was still sky-high, but he forced himself to walk through his rising panic. Daredevil followed at his heels, nudging his nose against Jack’s hand in an attempt to get attention. Jack stopped and turned to kneel down, reaching out to scratch under Daredevil’s fluffy cheeks.

“I’m scared,” he admitted. “I don’t know what you and I are going to do, old boy. Gabriel’s alive, looks like a fucking skeleton, and isn’t doing anything like I remembered. Why is he doing this, Devil? Why would he hurt the people we used to work with?”

Daredevil whined at him and wagged his tail. He pushed forward and licked Jack’s face, barking softly before he tried to pull away. Jack let out a soft laugh as he straightened up, resting a hand on Daredevil’s head. He wished he could be as carefree as his loyal boy, even just for an hour.

“Let’s see if we can’t find Gabe,” he murmured as he started walking again. “Find him, Devil. Find him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the fuck-up; here's the proper chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

“I can’t believe that you ran,” Jesse snapped as he glared at Hanzo.

Hanzo lifted an eyebrow at him, cradling one of his dragons in his arms. “Are you?” he asked. “I’m surprised you didn’t leave sooner, as a matter of fact. We saw Overwatch’s end coming, Jesse, and it was wise to leave while we were still free to.”

Jesse shook his head and thumped his head back against the wall. They were holed up in a hotel room, mostly so that Jesse could think of a good way for them to slip away from the people waiting for Hanzo’s ass. Jesse’s fury had died down quickly, relieved that he was seeing a familiar face again, but now completely terrified. He’d been ready to sell Hanzo out to the highest bidder when he didn’t know who he was; now, though, they would have to pry Hanzo out of his cold, dead hands. Considering what he knew of the people that were waiting for them, they would definitely kill him to get what they wanted.

“You left us,” Jesse said. “We coulda used yer help.”

“Jesse,” Hanzo gave him a sad look as one of his dragons curled up under his jaw. “Morrison and Reyes saw our end coming too. Reyes gave me the option to run while my name was still clear. I took it.”

Jesse shook his head. He jumped a little as one of the dragons jumped on him, tensing up as the noodle dragon wiggled their way up his chest. He cupped a hand carefully under the dragon to make sure they didn’t hurt themselves. They wiggled their way up until they were looking into each other’s eyes.

“Do you have to stare me down?” Jesse asked. “It’s creepy.”

The dragon huffed before reaching out to smack his nose. Jesse jerked his head back and wiggled his nose. The dragon stuck their forked tongue out before twisting and leaping over to where Hanzo was lounging on the other bed. Jesse let out a long sigh and looked at the ceiling.

“So, what now?” he asked. “Because I don’t know what to do.”

“You?” Hanzo asked. “Jesse McCree doesn’t know what to do?”

“Laugh it up, Thief Lord,” Jesse glared at him. “I would love to know how you planned on escaping them after I handed you over.”

“My dragons, for starters,” Hanzo smiled. “And then using my many, many talents to stay off the radar until I can get my information into the right hands.”

“And those would be?” Jesse rolled his eyes.

“A certain hacker that enjoys working with the less than pleasant organizations,” Hanzo said. “She’s young, but very, very smart.”

Jesse shook his head. He knew who Hanzo was talking about; one Sombra that liked to stylize herself as some sort of anarchist that was all about toppling corrupt organizations. He personally thought she was a brat that didn’t understand how the world worked and was still operating on childhood logic of how things were supposed to be done. He’d seen enough of the world to know that sometimes a nasty choice ended up benefiting thousands.

“And what information would that be?” Jesse asked. “All I know is that it’s incredibly private.”

“That is all you will know,” Hanzo replied. “I won’t put your life on the line as well.”

“Little late for that,” Jesse pointed out. “We’re in this together now.”

“We are in this bounty together, not the confidential information I have available to me,” Hanzo said. “Don’t push me, Jesse, or I will vanish. Again.”

“Nothin’ you haven’t already done,” Jesse snapped.

“Someone’s bitter,” Hanzo commented as he shifted to lie down on the bed. “Didn’t know I meant that much to you.”

“We were on the same team,” Jesse snapped. “Do you even know how hard it was to look anyone in the eye knowin’ that you left us?”

“I don’t particularly care, Jesse,” Hanzo said. “It’s in the past and we can’t change it. If you learned something from my ‘abandonment’ than you are better off.”

Jesse got to his feet and loomed over Hanzo. “That’s all you have to say?” he growled. “Seriously?”

“What do you want from me, Jesse?” Hanzo sighed. “I can’t take back what I did and I do not regret it.”

Jesse let out a strangled growl before throwing himself back onto the other bed. “An apology would be nice!” he snapped. “Maybe a little less attitude.”

“When have I ever not had an attitude?” Hanzo chuckled as he ran his hand over his dragon’s back. “But, I am sorry that you felt abandoned, Jesse.”

Jesse snorted softly and glanced over at his old friend. “Well, that’s a start,” he said before he rolled onto his side. “Still doesn’t tell me what we’re doing.”

“Same plan,” Hanzo shrugged. “Drop me off at the meeting point and I’ll slip away into the night. I’m good at it.”

“I don’t like it.”

“You don’t have to; I know how to stay alive, Jesse, trust me.”

Jesse didn’t like that notion at all. He knew how dangerous missions like this were. Anything could go wrong. But he knew by how relaxed Hanzo was that there would be no changing his mind.

* * *

Gabriel narrowed his eyes behind his mask as he watched the Shimada delegation speak with his “superiors”. He didn’t trust them, never had. He’d only met one decent Shimada in his life and even then the little brat had spent more time getting on his nerves than being a shining example of what an agent should be.

“And this is the infamous Reaper?” Sojiro Shimada looked over at him. “I was expecting him to be…more intimidating.”

Gabriel tilted his head to the side but did not comment. Some people thought that silence was scarier than any other form of intimidating. He knew that Japanese culture enjoyed silence and they were not made uncomfortable with it. However, no one was comfortable with being stared down by said silence. If Sojiro felt like he had to comment on Gabriel’s presence, he was already unnerved.

“Does the lapdog think that he does not need to say something?” the man standing beside Sojiro sneered. “I’ve seen the Reaper in action; he has much to be desired.”

Gabriel smiled behind his mask as he bowed. “I am sure that your many bedmates say the same, young Genji Shimada,” he said sweetly.

Genji bristled, glaring at Gabriel as if his eyes alone could kill him. Sojiro’s face soured and he shot Genji a glare, but he didn’t say anything. Akande let out a soft chuckle before he touched his chest.

“You will have to forgive my assassin,” he said. “He is not known for his tact and grace with guests.”

Sojiro accepted the attempt to defuse the situation and turned back towards Akande. Genji, however, was still seething. His eyes bore into Gabriel, but his youth and famous petty attitude did little to bother Gabriel. Akande led Sojiro and the elder members of his council away, but Genji remained.

“You have no manners,” Genji hissed as he stormed over. “Saying something like that in front of my father?!”

“You were expecting me to bow to you?” Gabriel asked as he leaned his head back. “You have done nothing to earn that respect, Genji.”

“I am superior to you in every regards!” Genji shouted. “I’m smarter, I’m stronger, I’m faster; you are nothing!”

Gabriel let out a soft snort before he grabbed Genji by the front of his shirt and hoisted him into the air. He loomed over the young man, tightening his fists into the fabric of Genji’s suit shirt. His brown eyes were wide in fear, feet kicking furiously as he tried to find purchase on something that didn’t exist.

“You are a child,” Gabriel said. “Hanzo is a much better fighter than you could ever hope to be.”

Genji tensed before he licked his lips slowly. “Hanzo’s dead,” he whispered. “He’s been dead for years.”

Gabriel looked Genji in the eye before dropping him back to his feet. He turned away and shook his head.

“Hanzo Shimada, the Blue Dragon of the South Wind, is still very much alive,” Gabriel said. “Or, rather, he was the last time I saw him several years ago.”

“Hanzo’s dead,” Genji said, his voice wavering. “He died in Los Angeles when we visited years ago.”

“He did not,” Gabriel said before he collapsed into ash and started to leave. “He was very much alive when I met him at the tender age of fifteen.”

“How?” Genji whispered before he scrambled after him. “Tell me!”

Gabriel smirked to himself as he paused and let his upper half reassemble. He turned towards Genji, letting the young man get close enough to grab him.

“Hanzo is a tough son of a bitch,” Gabriel said. “I’m sure your father intended him to die in L.A. so that his favourite son could inherit everything, but Hanzo was not so easily beaten.”

“He ran away,” Genji snapped. “He ran away and they fished his body out of the ocean a week later. We had a burial.”

“Did you now?” Gabriel chuckled. “Well, then I must have met a different Hanzo Shimada that could summon dragons out of the ether. My bad.”

“Hanzo’s dead,” Genji whispered. “I saw the body.”

“Water logged and bloated; that could have been anyone,” Gabriel said. “Are you really sure that you saw your brother?”

Genji stared at him before reaching for him. “I want to see him,” Genji whispered. “Please…take me to him.”

“I don’t know where he is,” Gabriel replied as he gently rested a hand on Genji’s cheek. “I haven’t seen him in many years. But, if I were to make a guess, I’d say stick around. We have a bounty out on someone that acts very similar to the Hanzo Shimada I remember.”

Genji leaned into his hand slightly before he nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I want to see this man and decide for myself if it’s Hanzo or not.”

“A wise decision,” Gabriel said as he pulled away. “Let’s just hope that your father doesn’t try to kill him again.”

Genji looked like he was about to say something, but he shook his head instead. He licked his lips slowly before moving to sit down on the other side of the room. He would wait for his father to return and pretend that nothing had happened. Gabriel, on the other hand, had to deal with a sighting he was not happy to hear about.

Someone baring the moniker “Soldier: 76” had started attacking Talon agents while they were stationed in San Diego. It didn’t take a genius to know that Jack Fucking Morrison was looking for answers and Gabriel had to nip this in the bud before it got out of hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hanzo believes that having his dragons makes him almost invincible. Jesse does not approve. Noodle dragons also tell him to smarten up with a loving nip.
> 
> Oh, hello Genji, you little shit.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, everyone. It's been a crazy few months. Hope this nail-biting chapter was worth the wait for everyone.

Jesse snapped the cuffs down over Hanzo’s wrists and tightened them. “I still don’t like this,” he murmured in his ear as he helped Hanzo back into the car.

“You don’t have to,” Hanzo soothed. “Just be waiting at the extraction point. I’ll handle the rest.”

Jesse shook his head as he climbed into the driver’s seat. Hanzo settled back, watching the last stretch of highway roll by as they approached the meeting point. Hanzo could see Talon goons creeping along the roadway, using the cover of night to mask their numbers. It made his skin crawl knowing that there were more people hiding where he couldn’t see them, but he forced himself to remain calm.

Panicking wouldn’t do him any good. He had been preparing himself for the last few days. He’d be just fine. He would give these dumbasses the slip and they wouldn’t know where he went. It was a simple enough task with his skills and assets on hands.

Jesse drove through the compound at a slow speed. The last thing they needed was for a body to get jammed up under the wheels of the car and prevent them from moving. They needed to be able to get away quickly; any hiccup would cause too much time to be spent trying to fix it.

There could be no mistakes.

They rolled up to a group of men waiting outside of a warehouse and Jesse put the car in park. He turned the engine off and stepped out of the vehicle, tipping his hat to the men. They exchanged a few quick words before Jesse walked around the car and pulled the door on Hanzo’s side open. He hauled Hanzo out roughly, squeezing his arm to get him to move.

“Inside,” one of the men growled and jerked his head towards the building behind him.

Jesse dragged Hanzo towards the door and Hanzo did his best to keep up. He took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves, taking some comfort from the heat of Kita and Minami curled up over his heart. Their shape was hidden under the fold of his shirt, keeping them from being detected until he needed their help. He would only have a few moments to execute his plan. Then, all hell would break loose and he would book it for the door.

He was dragged into the warehouse and shoved roughly to his knees. He grimaced under his kerchief, glancing around as he started planning his escape route. Guns were pointed at him from the catwalk above him, the Talon goons’ faces hidden behind their strange helmets. A group of men exited an office and headed for them.

Hanzo tensed, struggling to keep his eyes from widening in horror. His father stood to the right of a massive man, his brown eyes cold and impassive. Genji walked a half-step behind him, expression bored but eyes bright. The Reaper glided quietly behind the group, the bone white mask keeping all sense of humanity from leaking through.

“Gentlemen,” Jesse tipped his hat. “Yer quarry, as requested.”

“Impressive,” one of the men said as he stepped forward. “And you managed to capture him all by yourself?”

“Took a few tries,” Jesse admitted. “Slippery as an eel, this one. Didn’t make my job easy, that’s fer sure.”

“Hmm,” the man glared at Jesse. “I wonder….”

“Are you honestly going to doubt Jesse McCree’s capabilities?” The Reaper growled as he floated closer to the man. “You know his reputation. You know what he is capable of. If it had been anyone else bringing our little thief in, then I would question the credibility of his claim.”

“Thank you fer the vote of confidence,” Jesse said slowly. “If it’s all the same to you gentlemen, I’d like to get my pay and leave. Sooner I get this fucker out of my sights, the better,” he jerked a thumb at Hanzo. “Fucker’s got a mouth like barbed wire.”

The Reaper turned to regard Hanzo before letting out a dry laugh. “I’m sure he does.”

The Reaper turned and returned to the large man’s side, tucking himself carefully between him and another Talon operative. Sojiro narrowed his eyes and looked at Jesse.

“You did not remove his,” he made a gesture at this face, “mask?”

“Kerchief, if it pleases ya,” Jesse said politely. “And I refrained. Figured y’all wanted to have the big reveal without me spoilin’ it for ya.”

Hanzo yawned loudly and settled himself down a little more on the floor. “Are you finished blabbering?” he asked. “I’ll take that bullet to the head now.”

“What makes you think you get out that easily?” one of the men snapped. “You think you can steal our secrets and escape with a bullet?”

Hanzo shrugged. “Isn’t that what most criminal organizations do with people that cross them?” he asked innocently. “Remove them from the Earth?”

Kita stirred slightly against his chest, twisting carefully over her mate to wiggle towards his back. It tickled, but Hanzo managed to keep his face impassive and bored as she moved. She settled just between his shoulders, snorting softly onto his neck to let him know she was ready when he was.

“If you want to die so badly,” the man snapped, “I will most certainly not accommodate you. Let’s start your humiliation by revealing what little fuckwit is hiding behind that mask.”

“Kerchief,” Hanzo smirked. “If it pleases ya.”

He could almost hear Jesse’s eyeroll as the man stormed forward. His hand grabbed the front of Hanzo’s kerchief and wrenched it off. Hanzo wrinkled his nose a little at the pressure put on his neck and it turned into a smirk as the man stumbled back. He looked from Hanzo to Sojiro, his mouth gaping open as the colour drained from Sojiro’s face. Hanzo looked at his father and smiled sweetly at him.

“Hello, Father,” he said. “It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

* * *

Jesse had not been expecting that revelation. Sure, Hanzo and the scary Japanese man looked similar, but he figured that was just from his inexperience of dealing with Japanese people. Or maybe that “they have similar facial characteristics so my brain thinks they look alike” thing that happened with people. He was not expecting to find himself face-to-face with the man that had left Hanzo to die in L.A. and he _wasn’t allowed to fucking tear the bastard’s head off_.

He didn’t know all that Sojiro Shimada had done to Hanzo, but anyone that just abandoned their kid in a foreign city was a serious piece of shit. He did not deserve any sort of clemency, but Jesse was in no position to dispense justice. Right now, he had to focus on keeping himself alive and being ready to help save Hanzo’s ass.

The kid behind Sojiro was staring at Hanzo with a mixture of emotions on his face that Jesse couldn’t begin to describe. He looked lost and confused, sad and elated, and relieved. His mouth opened a few times before he turned to The Reaper and smiled weakly.

“You were right,” he whispered. “How…?”

“I know punks when I see them,” The Reaper chuckled.

The kid blinked at The Reaper before whipping around and stomping over to Hanzo. “You were alive this whole time, you bastard!” he shouted. “Do you have any idea how worried I was? Why the fuck didn’t you come home?”

“Come home to what, Genji?” Hanzo curled his lip. “A father that wanted me dead? A clan that thought I was worthless and useless? To a brother that didn’t give two shits about me?”

“What are you talking about?” Genji demanded. “We thought you were dead!”

“Of course you did,” Hanzo snapped. “You thought I was dead because Sojiro Shimada decided that his first born was a waste of flesh and left him behind in L.A.”

“You ran away,” Genji frowned.

“Like hell I did!” Hanzo snarled. “I was fucking abandoned in the most decrepit part of the city. I suspect that Sojiro wanted a hitman to eliminate me properly, but they were inept at their job.”

“You could have come home,” Genji said. “You would have been welcomed….”

“Grow the fuck up, Genji,” Hanzo shouted, rising up onto his knees. “This isn’t some fucking fairytale. We are _yakuza_ ; we don’t have that sort of bullshit bred into us. We are criminals. We traffic drugs, prostitutes, and weapons; there is nothing honourable or noble about what we do. We are the outcasts, the dregs of society that are united by a desire for money and anarchy. Why the fuck do you think Sojiro is joining forces with Talon?”

Hanzo spat on the ground and glared past Genji to make eye contact with Sojiro. Sojiro’s dark eyes narrowed, but he didn’t move an inch. Genji straightened slowly and turned around to glare at his father.

“Is it true?” he demanded. “Did you leave Hanzo to die?”

Sojiro’s eyes filled with hatred. “I left a failure behind to be eliminated,” he said. “It was a necessary culling. I would not allow a weak-willed child ascend any higher in the clan. You are his better by three-score, Genji. Do not let his bitter, hateful comments deter you from your birthright.”

“You left my brother to die,” Genji started shaking. “You left him behind to be killed! What is wrong with you?!”

“Genji, move; I will correct the mistake I made,” Sojiro said as he pulled a handgun off of his belt. “Mr. Banks, pay your bounty hunter what he deserves.”

Jesse tensed as Mr. Banks pulled a handgun out. He took a step back, just enough to fix his balance, and rested his hand on the grip of _Peacekeeper_. Hanzo’s nostrils were flaring as he bowed forward, no doubt communicating with his dragons in preparation for an attack. It was going to be now or never now that both of their lives were in jeopardy.

“Purow?”

Jesse’s head snapped down as a war-torn black tomcat walked up to Hanzo and rubbed against him. Yellow eyes blinked up at him before the cat continued to rub himself against Hanzo’s legs. The group went silent as the cat moved towards Jesse, rubbing up against his boot before rearing back to set his mangled paws on Jesse’s leg.

“Now probably isn’t the time, pussycat,” Jesse commented dryly. “Shoo.”

The cat tilted his head and the torn up left ear flopped further than it should have. Something intelligent twinkled in the cat’s eyes before it dropped down to face the group. He let out a low growl and flicked his tail, swaying a little as if in preparation to attack. Genji and Hanzo were both staring at the cat, clearly confused as to what it was doing; to be fair, everyone was staring at the cat like it was out of its mind.

The tomcat charged and Jesse felt the same crackle of reality he felt whenever Hanzo used to summon his dragons. He took a deep breath as the air filled with an electrical charge and stared at the black tomcat exploded outwards into a furious, red tiger.

“Now, Devil!”

A tan dog burst out of hiding and charged the group. He leaped forward, grabbing Mr. Banks’ arm, and wrenching its head around as hard as it could. Mr. Banks went down with a scream, his right arm mangled as the dog twisted to make sure he couldn’t get a good grip on its short fur. Red flags of recognition went off in Jesse’s head as he stared at the dog, wondering where on Earth he had seen that fur pattern before.

Then a trio of Helix rockets exploded in the center of the group, killing two men immediately and sending the others flying. Jesse ducked and swore, staring at the carnage in disbelief as The Reaper immediately turned into smoke and rushed off to the side. Sojiro was shouting in Japanese, trying to rally his men around him as gunfire started raining down on them.

Jesse twisted and dropped beside Hanzo, removing the handcuffs as quickly as he could. Kita and Minami let out sharp trills before they joined the fray, growing rapidly in size until they were bull-sized raging dragons. A green dragon, slightly smaller than the blue ones, joined the fight alongside its larger cousins, shrieking and tossing men.

“We have to move,” Hanzo shouted as he got to his feet. “Genji…?”

“Right behind you,” Genji nodded his head sharply.

“Kita, keep them off of us!” Hanzo ordered before he turned and bolted for the door.

“Devil, back!”

The tan dog released its hold on Mr. Banks and darted after them. It was braying furiously, streaking past Jesse to bodily tackle one of the Talon goons that was coming through the door. The goon howled in surprise, trying to shake the furious dog off of it as Jesse pulled his gun out and started shooting. Shurikens streaked past his face and buried themselves into the bodies of the Talon goons, stunning them long enough for Jesse to get a bullet between their eyes.

“Faster, McCree, damn it!” a gravelly voice shouted overhead. “I don’t have infinite bullets!”

“Everyone in,” Jesse ordered as he unlocked the car. “Devil, here!”

The tan dog disengaged immediately, rushing the distance between the warehouse doors and the car at lightning speed. It jumped straight into the backseat and dropped to the floor, curling up into a tiny ball as everyone piled in. Jesse blinked at the shaggy figure that clambered in behind Genji, slamming the back door shut and rolling down the window.

“Three clicks up the road, hang a right,” the man ordered as he pointed an impossibly large pulse rifle out the window and continued shooting. “I have a van tucked away that we can use.”

“On it,” Jesse replied as he put the car into reverse.

He put the accelerator to the floor and high-tailed it out of the compound. He weaved expertly through the buildings until he got the car out onto the road. In a maneuver that would have made his father proud, he whipped the car around, shifted gears, and floored it up the road.

“That cat’s yours too?” Jesse asked as he kept his eyes on the road.

“Mars’ll catch up,” the man grunted. “The celestial tiger thing caught me off guard too.”

“We were fortunate that you showed up,” Hanzo commented from where he was slumped in the front seat. “We would have been dead otherwise.”

“I was looking for The Reaper, but I wasn’t about to let them off two ex-Blackwatch boys,” the man snorted bitterly. “We’ve lost enough as it is.”

Jesse frowned as he glanced in the rearview mirror. Something about the man was uncannily familiar. The growly voice, the slumped position in his seat now that they were far enough away from the compound and weren’t getting shot at, and the odd affection towards men that most of the world wanted dead. Something was tickling at the back of his mind and he hated it.

“Your dog,” Genji said slowly as he reached down to scratch behind the tan ears. “He was military trained?”

“Search and Rescue,” the man said. “But some attack training as well since we never knew what we were getting into.”

“Devil,” Hanzo straightened suddenly and Jesse felt the blood drain from his own face. “ _Dare_ devil. Jack Morrison’s dog.”

Jesse heard Daredevil let out a happy yip in the backseat and looked again in the rearview. The man looked towards him and slowly pulled his facemask off. A very familiar, heavily scarred face stared back at him and Jesse felt his stomach drop out of his body.

“Eyes on the road, Jesse,” Jack Morrison said. “I didn’t survive an explosion to die in a car crash.”


	7. Chapter 7

“How did you even survive that explosion at HQ?” Jesse demanded.

Jack ran his hand over Daredevil’s head. The broken down motel room they were holed up in was cramped with four people stuffed inside, but it was better than the van outside.

“Pure dumb luck,” Jack said after a moment. “I was out cold for the most of it. Woke up under a pile of rubble with blood caked all over my face and Daredevil trying to pull me out. Had to get him to lie down and play dead next to me when I heard gunshots.”

“Gunshots?” Jesse blinked.

“There were people going around making sure that those of us that were still alive weren’t about to say what happened,” Jack shrugged.

“Seriously?” Jesse frowned. “That… I didn’t hear anything about that.”

“Hence why those people were going around,” Jack snorted. “To make sure people never found out.”

“And they just left the body of Jack Morrison alone?” Hanzo frowned.

“Hard to tell who someone is when their clothing is shredded and covered in ash,” Jack shrugged. “Or they were hoping to really put my ass in the ground and left for backup. Either way, they left me alone long enough for me to crawl away and get to a safehouse.”

“Stitched yourself up?” Hanzo asked.

“Barely,” he murmured as he rubbed his scars. “I don’t know how I survived.”

“Sheer luck and stubbornness, no doubt,” Jesse snorted. “You’re good at that.”

Jack rubbed his face again and shook his head. “Yah, unfortunately,” he murmured.

He glanced up as a scuffling sound rose outside. The door to the room was barricaded close, preventing anyone from entering without their knowledge. That didn’t stop an opossum and its three babies from waddling in through a small crack in the door.

“Mars?” he asked as he straightened up, watching the opossum waddle towards him.

The three babies slipped off of the opossum’s back, already losing their fuzzy shape in favour of returning to their noodle dragon forms. Jack managed a smile as the opossum faded back into the familiar black cat that he had befriended shortly after arriving in Los Angeles. He opened his arms and Mars jumped onto his lap, purring loudly as he snuggled in against Jack’s chest.

Hanzo and Genji were greeting their dragons, holding them close and teasing them in Japanese. Jack leaned back against the wall, running a hand slowly over Mars’ head as his unintentional tiger guardian purred. Jesse watched silently before he got to his feet.

“So, now what?” he asked. “We know Jack’s alive, the Shimada know that Hanzo’s alive, and we unintentionally kidnapped their heir. I’d say we’re rather fucked.”

“I did go willingly, so it isn’t kidnapping,” Genji said before letting out a long sigh that his green noodle dragon mirrored. “But, I agree; we are quite fucked.”

Jack opened his mouth to say something, but Daredevil’s ears perked. He glanced towards the door, motioning the other for silence. Hanzo and Jesse immediately fell silent, but Hanzo had to tap Genji with his toe to get him to shut up. Jack strained his ears as Daredevil tipped his head to the side. Something swirled across the ground outside, like leaves disturbed by the wind.

Smoke and ash started billowing under the door and Jack got to his feet. Daredevil barked before jumping forward, wagging his tail excitedly as The Reaper materialized in the middle of the room. The others swore, reaching for anything to use against the mercenary, but Jack just shook his head. He crossed his arms over his chest as Mars leaned on his leg, watching The Reaper as he knelt down to scratch behind Daredevil’s bloody maw.

“That was a stupid move, Jack,” Gabriel scolded him. “You could have been killed. Or gotten Devil killed.”

“If Zurich didn’t kill me, those bastards can’t,” Jack snorted. “And you might want to reveal yourself before Jesse puts a bullet in your head.”

“Wouldn’t last for long,” Gabriel sighed before he removed his facemask. “This was what you wanted all along, you stubborn bastard.”

Jack shivered a little at the sight of Gabriel’s mangled face. He stepped forward and cupped the shredded cheek, running his thumb over the prominent cheekbone. Gabriel leaned into his hand, his red eyes watching Jack closely. Jesse let out a strangled noise as Jack leaned in and kissed his husband’s lips.

“I’ve missed you,” Jack murmured. “And you owe me an explanation.”

“Never expected to have to,” Gabriel murmured as he slowly wrapped his arms around Jack’s waist and pulled him close. “And I didn’t want you to see me like this.”

“I’m no sight either, Gabe,” Jack snorted before he rested his head on Gabriel’s shoulder. “Don’t leave me again. Please.”

“Does anyone actually die in this world?” Jesse demanded furiously. “You fucking bastard! Why were you working with Talon?!”

Gabriel turned his head and tucked his nose into Jack’s hair. “Sit down,” he ordered. “I’m only going to say everything once.”

* * *

Jesse puffed on his cigar, staring at what had become of his boss. Gabriel was resting on the ground beside Jack, his head pillowed in Jack’s lap. They were all exhausted, emotionally and physically, and Gabriel’s revelation about what had happened to Overwatch left them reeling.

Talon had infiltrated Overwatch’s numbers and eroded everything out from under them. Gabriel and Jack had done everything they could to protect the innocent members, but they hadn’t seen Zurich coming. They had both thought the other dead and tried to move on. Jack had fallen onto hard times, losing all will to live, while Gabriel had started his quest for vengeance.

Everything was topsy-turvy and stupid. He didn’t understand what was going on and he had a feeling that everyone else in the room was just as confused. Genji’s confusion was understandable; he didn’t understand anything about Overwatch politics; but Hanzo clearly felt as lost and confused as Jesse did.

“So,” Hanzo said softly, “what now?”

“Now?” Gabriel laughed bitterly. “Now I try to figure out how to keep the Shimadas from tearing the countryside apart looking for their missing heir.”

“He’ll kill Genji,” Hanzo snapped. “I will not let him do that.”

“Could go into hiding,” Genji offered.

“That solves nothing,” Jack mumbled as Daredevil licked his hand. “Hiding only makes all of us miserable. And does not bring us any closer to answers.”

“Stuck between a rock and a hard place,” Jesse grumbled. “I’ve still got a fuckin’ bounty on my head. People’ll come after Hanzo with a vengeance. Jack’s still a nobody and Gabe’s a merc.”

“Who’da thought we’d fall this far?” Hanzo sighed. “There are no good options left to us.”

“Hiding might be the only option we have,” Gabriel said as he laced his clawed gauntlets with Jack’s fingers. “It’d keep you alive, at the very least, until I’m ready to strike one final time.”

“But,” Jack’s hand tightened on Gabriel’s, but he fell silent as Gabriel shifted to look him in the eye.

“I lost you once, Jack,” he said. “Don’t make me lose you again because of your stubbornness.”

Jesse watched the emotions play on Jack’s face before he bowed his head forward. He’d never seen Jack break down, but he knew it happened. Ana was always quick to speed him out of the room whenever Jack covered his face and sank into his chair. Gabriel was always quick to comfort him and never told Jesse what happened.

Now, he could only stare as Jack’s shoulders shook. He was a silent crier, but he drew air loudly in through his mouth. Gabriel shifted to hold Jack close, tucking his head down into his chest. Gabriel murmured softly in Jack’s ear, probably some form of encouragement. Jack punched him, but pushed closer, whimpering softly.

“It’ll be okay,” Gabriel murmured. “Trust me.”

* * *

Gabriel left before midnight, slipping out the same way he had entered. Hanzo settled down to sleep beside Jesse, his head aching a little from all the revelations they had been given. He wanted to sleep and forget about the world for a little while. Jack had made himself a little nest in the corner and was curled up with Mars and Daredevil, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze.

Hanzo rubbed at his face before rolling over to tuck his head under Jesse’s jaw. “This is crazy,” he mumbled.

“Yah,” Jesse sighed into his hair. “Fuckin’ hell.”

Hanzo closed his eyes and dug his hands into Jesse’s shirt. Jesse’s arms wrapped securely around him and they fell asleep not long after. When they woke up, Jack was gone. He’d left a note saying that he was going into hiding and wished them all luck.

Hanzo followed Jesse outside and checked over the van. His car was abandoned several miles behind them and they had no intention of going back for it. Genji hmmed and hawed before proposing that they head north to shake off the Shimada and Talon for a little while.

“Then we can slink back and go back to whatever it was that you two were doing before this happened,” he grinned. “Is it true that you were a thief?”

“Was and still am,” Hanzo smirked. “I wouldn’t mind going back to that. My talent shouldn’t have dimmed in four or five days.”

“Seems to be our best course of action for now,” Jesse sighed and rubbed his face. “North it is. Everyone, all aboard.”

They climbed into the van and Jesse drove back onto the road and headed as north as the road would allow. Hanzo watched the world roll by and thought about the poetic nature of what was happening. He still had access to the information that Talon wanted and he would happily go about taking it all over again. Granted, he didn’t think the results would be the same, but it would be worth it.

Gabriel was trying to do everything by himself, but it was the only safe thing for them to do. They could help from the shadows; it was what they were good at. And, with Genji with them now, they had one more shadow to use to their advantage. It wasn’t the best choice, but it was the only one they had at the moment. They’d survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Open ending, but it felt right. They're all making off like thieves in the night into the strange new world. Hanzo's got his brother back, Jack's got his Gabi back, and Gabe's got a better reason to tear the world apart.


End file.
